Wilder-Fury II: a fight so big it took two TV networks to show
- The two will lock horns for a second time on Saturday night in Las Vegas
That’s only partially true, though it might be forgiven. This is boxing, after all, and a bit of hyperbole goes a long way toward selling a fight.
What is true is that ESPN and Fox Sports had to come together if the heavyweight showdown at the MGM Grand hotel was to happen. And it’s also true that both networks are blanketing the airwaves this week like never before in an effort to get people to dig into their pockets for the US$79.99 it will cost to watch the fight at home in the US.
In the end the attention being paid the fight is good for a sport – and a heavyweight division – that is suddenly a mainstay again on America’s sports networks.
“Quite frankly this hasn’t happened in a long time. We believe this sport is on the right path,” said Bill Wanger, executive vice president of programming, research and content strategy for Fox Sports. “It continues the evolution of our boxing programme with PBC (Premier Boxing Champions) where we’re mounting a charge to bring boxing back to the masses and create stars out of these fighters.”
